Today our friend _____ is in the hands of a just God “who knoweth and doeth all things well”.

After Stephen had been put to death for the cause of our Lord, the brethren lamented his death in Acts chapter 8 and verse 2.

It’s not wrong to sorrow. To feel and experience loss.

But Christians do not sorrow like those who have no hope.

For Christians have HOPE:

Jesus said in John chapter 11 and verse 25, “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”.

______ was, unique; and I genuinely cared for him.

______was a likeable guy.

He had a giving heart. He was big hearted.

He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

He gave even when he did not have it to give.

_______cared about others; He shaved his own head in support of those who had lost their hair because of cancer.

______was a fighter; He was healed of Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

He served his country from 1972 to 1974 in the Army.

He was a carpenter by trade and seemed to love to work with his hands.

______loved the holidays and he loved his family.

______was proud of many things:

He was proud of his grandchildren, as all of us grandfathers understand.

He was proud of being baptized.

He was proud of the work he had done on Churchill Downs.

_______was the kind of man who couldn’t wait for tomorrow because he knew he got better looking every-day!

_______loved the WildCats and they sent him off well:

On November the 2nd “Terrence Jones scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead No. 2 Kentucky to a 97-53 exhibition victory over Division III Transylvania on Wednesday night.”

_____loved the horses.

He was excited about this year’s Breeders Cup and sadly did not get to see it.

So this is for you ______:

“After two days of racing at Churchill Downs, the main event arrived as 12 of the top three-year-olds were called to the post for the 2011 Breeders Cup Classic.

The field made it into the gates without incident and the $5 million Breeders Cup Classic got underway at Churchill Downs. Uncle Mo bust from the outside and Game On Dude took the lead from the inside, leading the field down the front stretch. As they hit the first turn, it was Game on Dude, Uncle Mo, So You Think and Stay Thirsty leading the way into the back-stretch.

Game On Dude held the rail as they came to the final turn, with Uncle Mo breaking from the outside along with To Honor and Serve. As they came down the stretch, So You Think got a run down the inside, with Game On Dude surging. But out of nowhere, Drosselmeyer came on in a shocker, coming out of nowhere down the stretch to take it at the wire.”